Kieran’s patience had snapped.
The laughter behind him sounded nothing more than a meaningless chorus as he shoved past his guests.
He didn’t care who he knocked aside.His gaze locked onto the boy.
His wolf was on its toe, as agitated as he was.
He moved like a wraith through the crowd, ignoring the gasps, the murmurs, the smug faces...
His vision tunneled...only the boy mattered,the one slinking toward the infirmary like a thief.
But the boy’s steps were too slow to be that of a criminal’s. Yet too careful. Head constantly turning. Shoulders hunched. Like he expected to be followed.
"What the fuck are you doing, kid?"
Kieran slowed, keeping his steps very very quiet. A lifetime of hunts made stalking and masking his scent easy. His wolf was pacing inside, restless and angry.
"He is acting off," His wolf snarled. "Something is definitely wrong.He is heading towards Mate! Must go! Must protect!" Ever since Kieran lost the ability to sense her presence, his wolf had always been on the edge.He could sense his aversion towards himself... He could sense they was almost on the verge of falling apart.But he didn’t blame him. His wolf had been the silent sufferer in all this mess.
By this time, the boy had reached the end of the corridor that led to the infirmary. His hand reached for the doorknob...but then stopped.
Kieran pressed himself to the wall just before the corner, silent.
Kieran’s jaw clenched. The boy’s fingers twitching at his sides.
Every instinct in Kieran snarled. The kid glanced behind him once more, then twice.
Then pushed the door open...just a crack.
Kieran leaned forward, trying to catch a glimpse.
Autumn was lying on the bed, pale and unmoving. Her hair like ink spilled over the white sheets. Her wrist was bandaged, but he could see the red seeping through. Where the hell was Mango? Why was she alone?
Kieran’s blood began to boil!
But the boy just stood there. Trembling, yet unaware of Kieran’s presence . His small fists clenched tightly around something.But he still didn’t go in.
The little bastard was lurking outside like a shadow,he didn’t even move past the threshold.
Instead, his shoulders started to shake.
Kieran’s blood ran cold.
What the hell was this?
The boy fumbled with the thing in his hand, something small...clutched it tightly.
Kieran saw red. He moved.
He closed the distance in two strides and grabbed the boy by the shoulder, spinning him around with a snarl.
The kid gasped...too late.
"WHAT THE FUCK DO YOU THINK YOU ARE DOING HERE?"
The boy’s eyes widened, lips parting to scream...but Kieran clamped a hand over his mouth.
"Shhh!" he growled, "Don’t you dare yelp and wake her up! "
The boy struggled,still wild eyed,thoroughly panicked .
" Now I will move my hand from your mouth and you will shut up and answer me," Kieran hissed, voice low but lethal. "Who sent you? Velor? Roanoke? What’s in your hand, huh?"
"No one!" the boy whimpered, shaking his head side to side. "I...I swear I was just...I didn’t...I wasn’t going to hurt her...please sir..." the boy stammered.
"Then why were you sneaking?" Kieran put the kid down but grabbed him by the collar and shook him so hard his feet left the floor once again. "Why the fuck were you sneaking?What do you have in your hand? "
A snarl ripped from his throat as he seized the boy by the shoulder and yanked him around.
The kid gasped, face draining of color. He tried to jerk back, but Kieran’s grip was iron.
The boy fought, twisting, tears streaking his face. "Please don’t kill me! I have a sister... "
" Show me what you have in your hand! " The boy shook his head and tried to back off.
"You think I won’t break your fucking arm?" Kieran snarled. "You think I won’t rip your throat out if you are lying? "
A final wrench...and the boy’s fingers splayed open.
Kieran tore the object from his grasp.
A small, broken figurine. A wolf. Hand carved from dark wood, worn smooth by touch. One ear chipped, a tiny flower etched beneath its paw.
Kieran’s grip slackened. The kid slipped from his grasp and crumpled to the floor, sobbing louder now.
" Our mother gave this to me and my sister...before she died. She said it would help me sleep. She said wolves look after each other! " The boy collapsed to the floor, gasping. "Nobody has been kind to us ever since then. Until, she saved us that day... saved all of us..." He sobbed pointing at Autumn. " But nobody is there to save her! So I thought..."
A piercing ache ripped through Kieran. "Nobody there to save Autumn??? Had it come to that, huh?! "
Staring down at his palm, his chest tightened.
A single, crumpled wildflower was there beside the wooden wolf.
Small. Blue. The petals were bruised, as if clutched too tightly for too long. Of course. He was trying to save it from Kieran... The monster?!
Kieran’s breath left him in a rush.
"You..." His voice was rough."You came to give her this?"
The boy did not answer anymore.
He just curled in on himself, shaking, his sobs muffled against his knees.
Kieran stared at the flower, then at the broken wolf...then at Autumn, lying still on the bed inside. The symbolism was surreal!
He clapped the boy on his back, " I will give them to Autumn! You get going. Go enjoy the feast with your sister! "
The boy looked at him, unsure.
" I promise I will give them to her!" Reluctantly the boy took his steps forward.
" Meet me at my study when the feast is over. Make sure nobody else knows about that? Alright? "
The boy looked at him, skeptical but then nodded before slowly disappearing around the corner.